ramseaur



No. 620,495. .eatented Feb. 2s, |399; w. s. nAMsEAun, 1n.

CCCC P.

(No Modem '3o figures of the drawings.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM S. RAMSEAR, JR., OF MONROE, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO F. H. WOLFE, OF SAME PLACE.

CLAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 620,495, dated February 28, 1899. Application filed November 1, 1898. Serial No. 695,173. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. RAMSEUR,

J r., a citizen of the United States, residing at Monroe, in the county of Union and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Clamp, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clamps; and the object thereof is to provide means to connect ro the head and foot boards of a bedstead and support them in an upright position for display purposes.

To this end the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as I5 hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a headboard and a footboard having' a pair of the clamps applied thereto to dis- 2o play the same in an upright position. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail 'perspective view of one of the clamps. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the bolt. Fig. 5 is a'plan '2 5 view of the base, the sliding clamping members being removed. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of a modied form of wedge.

Like numerals of reference denote like and corresponding parts in each of the several Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates the base or body of the clamp, having at each end a transverse stop-shoulder 2, extending across one face thereof. If 3 5 the device is constructed of metal, the stopshoulders are preferably formed integral with the body 1, but if formed of wood they are secured in place by suitable fastenings 3. A longitudinal groove 4 is formed in the face of 4o the body, across which the stop-shoulders eX- tend, this groove being dovetailed in crosssection and extending the entire length of the body between the shoulders thereof. At its middle this groove is formed wider for a suitable length, as indicated at 5, Fig. 5, and the walls of this portion are preferably straight instead of inclined, for a purpose as will be hereinafter described. l A pair of duplicate clamping members 6 5o are slidably mounted upon the body 1 and between the stop-shoulders thereof. As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the members are in the form of a rectangular block, havingtheir opposing ends 7 beveled outwardly from the outer face to the inner face thereof. The inner faces are each provided with a tongue 8, n dovetailed in cross-section to fit the dovetailed groove 4 and provide a slide, whereby the blocks may be guided in their movement back and forth between the stop-shoulders of the body. The tongue-and-groove connection between the blocks and the body while slidably mounting the former upon the latter at the same time provides a positive connection therebetween, whereby the blocks are prevented from being accidentally lost. It will nowbe evidentthatthe purpose of the widened Aportion 5 of the groove 4 is to facilitate the introduction of the tongues Sinto the groove 4 to'slidably mount the blocks upon the body 1.

The means for forcing the clamping members apart and toward the respective stopshoulders comprises a bolt or screw 9, extending outward from the middle of the body 1 and through the groove 4 and provided with a washer 10 and a thumb-nut 11. An operating-wedge 12 is looselyrmouuted upon the projecting portion of the bolt and adapted to be moved longitudinally thereon by means of the thumb-nut 11, which is adapted to bear against the outer face of this wedge-block. The opposite ends of the blockareeach provided with a double bevel or incline 13 and 14, the inclines extending outward from the outer and inner faces, respectively, and one being longer than the other. The wedge is illustrated as being a casting, comprising the heads 15, connected by a web 16; but it will be understood that the wedge maybe of wood and in the form of a solid block, as shown by Fig. 6.

In the application of the clamp, as shown in Fig. 1, the headboard 17 and the footboard 18 are placed in an upright position a suit# able distance apart, and a clamp upon each side thereof is applied thereto. The nut 1l is drawn to the end of the bolt 9, the wedge is also drawn outward thereon, and the clamp members 6 are each drawn inward to provide a-space between themselves andthe respective stop shoulders 2. The clamp is then fitted in position, with the respective legs ofl ICO the footboard aud the headboard seated in the spaces provided between the clamping members and the respective stop-shoulders. The nut 11 is then screwed upon the bolt 9, drawing the wedge 12 against the beveled ends of the clamp members, and thereby forcing said members against the legs of the head and foot boards, respectively. Thus the clamps are connected to the two boards and support the same close together for display in salesrooms.

It will be noted that the wedge 12 normally covers the enlarged portion 5 of the groove 4, whereby the wedge forms a stop and prevents either of the blocks 6 from being accidentally displaced from the body 1 by being alined with the enlarged portion of the groove 4. Should the wedge be removed, the bolt 9, carried by the body, extends centrally across the enlarged portion of the groove 4, and also yforms a stop to prevent loss of the blocks when the wedge is removed, as will be understood.

The clamping-faces of the members 6 and the stop-shoulders 2 are preferably lined with some protective material 19 and 20, respectively, whereby injury to the surface of the furniture may be obviated.

The purpose of the double bevel of the opposite ends of the operating-wedge is that the wedge may be reversed, and by reason of the inclines being of different lengths the clamping members may be moved farther apart or clamped tighter, as will be understood.

By the present construction and arrangement of parts a simple and eective form of clamp for the purpose herein set forth is' provided, and it will be understood that chan ges in the form, proportion, and minor details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is- 1. A clamp comprising a base or body, stops provided at opposite ends of the body, clamping members having a positive engagement with and slidably mounted upon the body between the stop-shoulders, and means carried by the body and adapted to force the clamping members apart and toward the respective stop-shoulders, whereby each clamp member is adapted to cooperate with its respective shoulder, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. Aclamp,comprisingabase or body, stops provided at opposite ends of the body, clamping members having a positive engagement with and slidably mounted upon the body between the stop-shoulders, a wedge arranged between the clamp members and adapted to work toward and away from the body, and means carried by the body for moving the wedge toward the body, to operate the clamping members toward the respective stopshoulders, substantially as shown and described.

3. A clamp, comprising a base orbody,'stops provided at opposite ends of the body, clamping members having a positive engagement with and slidably mounted upon the body, a bolt carried by the body and extending outward therefrom intermediate the clamping members, awedge slidably mounted upon the bolt and adapted to engage the inner opposin g ends of the clamping members, and means carried by the bolt for drawing the wedge toward the body, whereby the clampingl members may be forced away from each other and toward the respective stop-shoulders, the bolt and wedge also forming a stop to prevent accidental loss or displacement of the clamping members, substantially as shown and described.

4. A clamp comprising a base or body having a longitudinal groove formed therein, and stop-shoulders at opposite ends of the body extending transversely of the groove, apair of clamping members having a sliding engagement with the groove, whereby the members are positively connected to the body, and means carried by the body intermediate the clamping members and extending outward V transversely through the groove, whereby the clamping members may be operated, substantally as shown and described.

5. A clamp,comprising a base or body, stopshoulders provided at opposite ends thereof, a longitudinal groove of dovetailed shape formed in the body between the shoulders thereof, a portion of the length of the groove being widened or enlarged, a pair of clamping members, each member having a dovetailed tongue adapted to be entered into the groove through its widened portion and slidably mount the member upon the body, and means for forcing the members away from each other to cooperate with the respective shoulders of the body, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. A clamp comprising a base or body, stopshoulders provided at opposite ends thereof, clamping members slidably mounted upon the body and between the shoulders thereof, a wedge having its opposite ends adapted to engage the respective clamping members, and provided with a double bevel, and means for forcing the wedge between the members to operate the latter, the wedge being adapted to `be reversedto bring either beveled surface into operation, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. A clamp, comprising abase orbody, stopshoulders provided at opposite ends of the body, clamping members slidably mounted upon the body between the stop-shoulders thereof, a wedge having its opposite ends `adapted to engage the respective clamping members and provided with a double bevel of different lengths, and means for forcing the wedge between the clamping members to operate the latter, the wedge being adapted to Ibe reversed to bring either beveled face into operation, substantially as and for the-pur pose set forth.

ICO

IIO

8. A clamp comprising a body having a longitudinal groove formed therein, a portion of the groove being enlarged and stop-shoulders at opposite ends of the body, clamping members, each member having a tongue adapted to be entered into the groove through itsvenlarged portion and slidably mount the member upon the body, and means 'for operating the members, substantially as shown and described.

9. A clamp, comprising a body having a longitudinal groove formed therein, a portion of the groove intermediate its ends being enlarged, and stop-shoulders at opposite ends of the groove, clamping members, each member having a tongue adapted to be entered into the groove through its enlarged portion and slidably mount the member upon the body, a bolt carried by the body and extending outward therefrom through the enlarged portion of the groove, and means carried by the bolt for operating the clamping members, the bolt also providing a stop to prevent accidental loss or displacement of the members through the enlarged portion of the groove, substantially as shown and described.

l0. In a clamp, the combination of a base or body having a longitudinal groove formed therein, a portion of the groove intermediate its ends being enlarged, and stop-shoulders at opposite ends of the groove, clamping members, each member having a tongue adapted to be entered into the groove through its enlarged portion and slidably mount the member upon the body, a threaded bolt carried by the body and extending outward therefrom through' the enlarged portion of the groove, a Wedge having its opposite ends adapted to engage the respective clamping members and provided With a double bevel slidably mounted upon the bolt and adapted to be reversed to bring thedierent beveled faces into operation, and a nut provided upon the bolt,where by the Wedge as shown and described.

lIn testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM S. RAMSEAUR, J R. Witnesses:

W. H. NoRWooD, T. P. DILLON.

may be operated, substantially 

